Ken H. Young, MD, PhD, with Duke Department of Pathology, and Yubin Kang, MD, PhD, with Duke Division of Hematologic Malignancies & Cellular Therapy have been awarded a new National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Center (NIH/NCI) R21 grant to study multiple myeloma disparities in response to immunotherapy and cell therapy related to a Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Family Member 7 (SLAMF7) novel therapeutic target. SLAMF7 is an activating receptor expressed on natural killer (NK) cells, that can stimulate innate and adaptive immunity.
Young’s team in the Hematopathology Division will identify the disparities in myeloma patients, and determine the underlying mechanisms using novel technologies. The study will advance knowledge on myeloma disparities, improve clinical outcomes of myeloma, and foster novel therapies to reduce the disparity. This new support reflects the high standard of the Pathology Department’s contributions to Duke Cancer Center in the discovery, innovation, healthcare, and collaborative spirit fostered in the department and Duke University Medical Center.
